Gaybutton wrote:The beach doesn't look any more or less wide than it always was. It may appear to be much wider since the trees apparently were removed so the drainage pipes could be put it, but it really isn't.

I suggest you visit the beach, you will be shocked as pictures don't entirely reflect the scope of the changes (damage). There is just a small space behind the chairs for masseurs to work. The drainage system work started at section 26 and is going south at a slow pace. The location of drains is a concern because drains are located typically in the middle of roadways here in Pattaya. There was some concern the beach could be closed both this Wednesday and Thursday but hopefully that's a false alarm.

Jomtien Beach vendors are complaining their low season is about to get a lot worse as the 600-million-baht shoreline renovation project moves into Dongtan Beach. Along with landscaping, a six-meter-wide access road from the Dongtan police box to the Rabbit Resort will be built as well as a larger parking lot. Work is scheduled to finish late April 2018.

Jomtien Beach vendors are complaining their low season is about to get a lot worse as the 600-million-baht shoreline renovation project moves into Dongtan Beach.

Beach chair renters, street hawkers and masseuses moaned they were not given any warning when workers began demolishing the sidewalk and uprooting trees. But Jomtien Beach’s renovation has been underway for more than a year with the project details repeatedly publicized.

The Dongtan phase covers 7.8 sq. kilometers and is budgeted to cost 45.4 million baht. Nong Nooch Landscape and Garden Design is the lead contractor with completion scheduled for late April 2018.

Along with landscaping, a six-meter-wide access road from the Dongtan police box to the Rabbit Resort will be built as well as a larger parking lot.

Vendors whined that the sidewalk is now full of sand and trees that provide shade for customers have been removed, discouraging people from visiting. More reasonable sellers, however, said they will make the best of it and conceded that low season was the best time to do the work – although construction will continue through the next high season.

Mokra Yawapee, an architect with Pattaya’s Engineering Department, said the Dongtan project is split into two zones, with the initial Zone A running 200 meters from the police box to the Welcome World Resort. Zone B spans 250 meters from Welcome to Rabbit Resort.

The Zone A footpath will be expanded from five meters to seven and the section that curves into the sand will be removed, providing beach goers more space. Large trees removed now will be replaced with palm trees so that branches do not fall and injure people in thunderstorms.

Dongtan is the third of four phases in the overall Jomtien renovation.

mahjongguy wrote:There's one thing that has not been mentioned yet and for many it's the biggest question of all: will the pavement beyond the parking lot remain closed to vehicles from 10am to 5pm every day?

My concern too. The rumor is cars will still be restricted, and I like the word "access road" as opposed to Jomtien Beach Rd. extension.

At 11:00am on the 20th of June, representatives from the Pattaya Beach Chair and Umbrella Rental Services met to discuss the new rules governing business operations on Pattaya beaches that will come into effect from the 15th of August.

The new rules will apply to operators on Pattaya beach, Jomtien beach and on Koh Lan. The idea is to create a sustainable model that will reduce tensions over plot markings and areas of jurisdiction.

Representatives from the Pattaya City Public Health Bureau, the office for Sanitation and Environmental Health and the Banglamung Peacekeeping Corps under the 1st and 21st Infantry Regiments, all took part in the survey of beaches in and around the city to ensure that a clear understanding of the new rules can be achieved.

There are currently 118 beach service operators on Pattaya Beach alone, who will all control a site of 9×7 metres each. The new mandate states that each operator should leave at least 1.5 metres to act as a thoroughfare for visitors on the beach.

After the current renovations to Jomtien beach are complete, a further 251 beach operators will provide beach services there.

The meeting also held that there will be a rotation of a lottery area to reduce the problem of permanent holdings, which has been an issue in the past.

I am not an engineer but can report that sewer pipes & an adjacent catchment drain are being laid in the sand about 6 feet in from the existing catchment drain (alongside the road that has a grate) The width of this new drainage structure is about 8 feet. The new sewer pipe is capped ( sealed) & starts just before the White House & the new drainage structure is heading down towards Tui's Place & of course the toilet block is in the way. Is the 6 feet of sand between the old catchment drain & the new catchment drain going to be widening of the road? What was wrong with the old drain? I have been caught under beach umbrellas many times when there has been a downpour & all the trees (now gone) lapped up the water. Replacement trees cannot be planted on that section of beach now the new drainage structure. When it does rain this water has to go somewhere so will it link up where the existing drain goes?